Google acquires media streaming platform Anvato

On Thursday, Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) announced it had purchased a media streaming platform called Anvato Inc. The latter is joining the Google Cloud Platform to expand its presence in the segment of video editing, encoding, and distribution.

Belwadi Srikanth, a senior product manager at Google Cloud Platform, said Google is interested in enhancing scalable media processing in the cloud. Anvato’s Media Content Platform is used by Fox Sports, NBCUniversal, Scripps Networks, Media General and other customers.

The tech giant based in Mountain View said the cloud is having a major impact on the video industry. Users are changing the way they create and distribute content, while the over-the-top (OTT) technologies are gaining more popularity.

OTT content is emerging among users who are not interested in subscribing to TV providers such as Time Warner Cable or Comcast. Platforms such as Netflix and HBO Go, have millions of subscribers in the United States.

Other companies such as CBS, Showtime and Youtube are joining the OTT trend. Youtube has been offering Youtube Red Originals since October last year. It is currently planning to introduce new content in the coming months, including a series based on the dancing franchise Step Up.

“Google and Anvato teams will jointly work to deliver cloud solutions that help businesses in the media and entertainment industry scale their video infrastructure efforts and deliver live video and on-demand content to consumers on any device,” said Srikanth in a blog post.

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Anvato Chief Executive Officer Alper Turgut said Anvato hopes to reach new markets alongside Google. He added that Google’s acquisition would help the company to “accelerate the pace of innovation” to deliver faster services.

Anvato’s cloud service allows customers to edit videos using the cloud. For instance, networks can manage advertising and pay-per-view content using the platform. In the long term, companies can find a way to monetize video.

Google has not provided further economic details about its new acquisition. Crunchbase said that Anvato has collected $2.55 million since it was launched in 2007. Google might be seeking to advertise its Cloud Platform to media companies, as suggested by Techcrunch writers.

The subsidiary of Alphabet Inc. lead by Sundar Pichai does not currently offer a broad range of cloud services for broadcasters. Google had previously announced its intentions in participating in what it calls the “rebirth of TV.”

Microsoft Corporation offers a similar service to broadcasters through Azure Media Services, said TechCrunch. Others company such as Amazon have followed the same trend. The latter owns Elemental, a competitor of Anvato, which has HBO, ESPN, and the BBC as customers.

Google said it would provide further details about its new integration with Anvato in the coming months. The company introduced in April live TV listings and personalized ads, to allow TV networks to find new ways to monetize their content.

Google has said the TV industry is facing a “massive change,” as new content platforms are gaining territory and devices become smarter.